294 THE VICARAGE. 



dark coppice overhead, while the foam of the cas- 

 cade appeared at the end of a long vista, fringed 

 with trees rich in foliage, the intermediate space 

 being filled up with rocks and tumbling waters. 

 Here they found a little green spot, so hidden, by 

 the bushes, and fern as not to be visible till they 

 came upon it, and here they rested themselves, 

 gazing in silence on the scene around them. 



On rejoining the Vicar, they found him in some 

 alarm at their prolonged absence. He had put 

 up his rod, after having caught a few trout, and 

 was preparing to make his way to the bridge, in 

 hopes of finding his daughters and their compa- 

 nions. The horse, which had been turned loose 

 to graze, was soon harnessed to the car, the crazy 

 wooden bridge was crossed in safety, and they 

 proceeded to a little country inn, about a mile be- 

 yond it, in order to procure a dinner. As they 

 proceeded, they saw a road leading to the left, 

 through a dense wood ; and the Vicar remarked, 

 that long as he had resided in that part of the 

 country, he had never seen Mr. Neville, the owner 

 of an ancient mansion, at a short distance, who 

 belonged to one of the oldest families in the county, 

 and formerly possessed great landed property in it. 

 " It is not only surprizing," said the Vicar, (6 that 

 I should never have seen him myself, but that 

 none of my neighbours should have done so. He 

 is a very old man, and was. formerly a very extra- 



